


A Succession of Confessions

by laurel_wesley (Wes)



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/F, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Self-Discovery, other girls are mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 23:06:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14603721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wes/pseuds/laurel_wesley
Summary: (Add. Tags: It's basically just fluff, and Riko just discovering herself, tbh there's not hetero explanation for anything Riko does, also yes it is canon that Riko reads yuri LOL, I love my daughter, and she loves her gf, my best girl and her best girl, technically girls because as of the last ep of S2 ChikaRikoYou is canon fight me.)Five times Riko and Chika kissed, leading up to the confession in S1E10. A bonus time Riko didn't kiss her lol





	A Succession of Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before S2 dropped, promptly forgot about it because I thought it was embarrassing, felt like I needed to post something and remembered that this was actually readable so decided to post. ChikaRiko was my first LL Sunshine ship, esp in S1 when Riko wasn't comfortable enough yet to reach out to the other girls outside of Chika and You. I love that she got a lot more development and interactions in S2 though (YohaRiko!!! Riri!!!!!! Riri !!! !!! !!!!!!) and that the writing team handled the story and character development in a better way than µ's ever got haha;; It's wishful thinking, but I'd love it if they went back and redid µ's' anime/movie with their improved writing skills and what they know now. 
> 
> AKA let Hanayo's VA sing with a deep voice jesus christ lol 
> 
> Anyway I love LL a lot and I really really love Aqours, there's not a single girl I dislike haha (except Nico but yanno, no Aqours :9) I'm so glad that they got really solid development and story, and at this point I'm just rambling;; My name's Wes, professional multishipper, signing out from my mother's basement.

1.

Riko first kissed Chika without meaning to.

She, Chika, and You had been at Chika's house in her room planning for their first live. They'd done a little practice together earlier in the day, mainly focusing on their vocals while at school since they were close to finalizing the dance. Earlier on they'd watched a recording of themselves to analyze their moves and decide what really needed to be ironed out before the show. After they'd helped You sew a little, and now they were here, taking a break.

Chika's older sister had brought up snacks and drinks for them, which Riko had politely taken and You and Chika went to town on. Riko couldn't help but marvel at their honesty, even in their actions, realizing that even You who was the blue between the two of them was extremely energetic in her own way. It was quite relaxing, surprisingly, especially when Riko knew she could trust them to put their energy towards Aquors.

As she placed her finished drink down on the table, she returned to stitching her own outfit, folding the hem and pinning it before starting to sew a tight line down the top. She didn't get very far before the door opened.

"Oh, did you finish your drink?" You asked.

"Ah, I did."

Before Riko could ask what to do, You scooped up the cup and was already out the door. She shot Riko a big smile.

"I'll go ask for some more, and some more snacks for us too. Chika's family's tea is really well brewed, right?"

"Yes, it's very good. Thank you, You..." Riko offered a smile back, not entirely sure how to react to how familiar You seemed to be with the house, but let it slide and returned to sewing. Less than a moment later, Chika returned from her trip to the bathroom, looking to Riko as she stepped past the door. Immediately her eyes widened and a smile bloomed across her face.

"Wow, Riko, you're really good at sewing!" She exclaimed, jumping over to lean her chin over Riko's shoulder and watch.

"H-hey, don't shake me... I'm not that good anyway, I only know how to sew in a straight line... You-chan had to tie a knot for me."

"Still, your stitch is really even and pretty! It looks so good! My stitches are always so sloppy," Chika laughed to herself.

"I'm sure they're not that bad-" Riko turned to glance at Chika, but didn't realize how close she was. Her lips gently brushed across Chika's cheek, the soft contact making Riko's eyes widen. It wasn't anything big, and by how Chika kept talking, pulling over her own skirt to show off her uneven stitches, she probably hadn't noticed it had even happened. Still, something inside Riko's chest fluttered, brought the slightest color to her cheeks that made You question if she was okay as soon as she came back. 

On the way home, Riko thought back to the feeling, thought about how that feeling of butterflies rose so quickly, wondered why it had happened.

* * *

 

2.

The second time Riko kissed Chika, it was a little more purposeful. She had gotten to know You and Chika and the other first years a little better now, and was becoming close to Chika and You every time they would chat over lunch or with Kanan at her beachside café. Riko had somewhat forgotten about her butterflies and that not-really-kiss, but sometimes it still came back to her when she didn't really mean it to.

Probably being tired from the after school practice didn't help, but as they sat eating their shaved ice, Riko started spacing out with her eyes locked on Chika's lips. 

Had Chika realized Riko had kissed her cheek? Did she notice and just choose to not say anything? Was she as embarrassed about it at the time as Riko was or had she just not cared? Friends probably kissed each other all the time, right? They certainly shared food enough, which was like an indirect--

"Hey, Riko, want a bite?"

"Huh?" Riko blinked, alerted to Chika's voice, then sat up a little straighter.

"You were looking at my shaved ice, I was wondering if you wanted any."

"Oh. Um, it's alright, thank you," Riko replied with a smile, going back to her own ice. It was starting to melt so she ate it quickly to catch up to the other two girls.

After a little more chatting, You had to bid them farewell and head home, leaving Chika and Riko to walk home together. The talking made Riko completely forget about her thoughts, too busy watching Chika's energetic body language and bright eyes as she talked.

They got to the front of their homes soon enough, just as the sun was about halfway over the horizon, and turned to say their goodbyes for the night.

"G'night, Riko. I'll see you tomorrow," Chika said with a smile and a tilt of her head.

Riko hummed back in agreement, an equally soft smile on her face. Still, she couldn't help thinking about that previous kiss again, and quickly glanced at Chika's cheek. Without really thinking about it, she stepped forward and took Chika's shoulder in one hand, leaning in to press her lips against her cheek.

It was a quick peck, and Riko realized after the fact that she wasn't really sure how Chika's sisters would react to it if they saw, but she still pulled away quickly and turned on her heel, tossing a quick goodbye over her shoulder before speeding back to her house. The fluttering feeling was inside her again, but she passed it off as just nervousness. 

* * *

"Morning, Riko~!" 

"Ah, good morning, Chika!" Riko raised her hand in a small wave as her friend came running to the bus stop. Chika slowed to a walk and waved back, then stepped forward into Riko's personal bubble. Without any warning and before Riko could ask, Chika was pecking her cheek in greeting. The simple press of lips to her cheek made her face flush and the butterflies return in full force, eyes wide as she looked to Chika for an explanation.

"You left before I could give you one last night. I wasn't sure if it was something that you just do in Akihabara or something else but I figured I'd return it~" Chika explained, grinning. Riko took a moment to respond, eventually glancing away with a smile of her own. 

"I-I see... I was just surprised is all..." she answered. Without really thinking, Riko took a step and returned the gesture quickly, pulling away just before the bus pulled into view. Chika giggled about it and the two loaded the bus together, sitting towards the back and watching out for You when her stop arrived.

Every time after that was just that. A kiss on the cheek in greeting or parting. Riko lost count how many times she'd done it. It just became natural to her, to kiss Chika when she saw her. Sometimes she and Chika even kissed or got kissed by You, who seemed to take the little ritual as a cute goodbye between friends. In the end it wasn't unpleasant, but Riko didn't get that same butterfly sensation when You pecked her cheek.

* * *

 

3.

The third time they kissed, it was because Riko was trying to comfort Chika. They'd won zero votes in the rankings, and as they'd split off for the night Riko couldn't help but be more worried, not when Chika had been silent the entire ride home, even with her sister.

They were dropped off in front of Chika's house while her sister went to go and park quickly, leaving the two girls alone for a few moments. Riko wasn't sure what to say or do, so she opened her mouth to say good night but Chika beat her to it.

"Good night, Chika..." Riko answered, lips turning down and eyebrows furrowing. Her fists clenched as she watched Chika start to wander slowly back into her house, something shooting through her when Chika put a foot on the first step.

"Wait, Chika!" Riko called out, quickly checking for her dog before following her up to the top step. Riko was still standing on the ground below her, so she had to reach up to hold Chika's cheeks and pull her down. She pressed a kiss to the crown of Chika's forehead, letting her lips linger for a moment before pulling back and meeting Chika's eyes.

"It's okay to be upset. All of us are, really. You don't have to hold it in..."

"I... I know. I just didn't want to make anyone more sad, so don't worry, okay?" Chika offered, trying to force a smile onto her face. Riko held them at eye-level a little longer, then pressed a kiss to Chika's cheek, glad when she earned a small one in return. 

"Okay. Good night, Chika. I'll see you tomorrow."

She let Chika go.

* * *

 

 

Then there was one time Riko didn't kiss Chika.

Their little greeting/parting ritual was really exclusive to just them, Riko, Chika, and You, and though it probably wouldn't have been too much of an issue they hadn't really extended it out to the rest of the group yet. It was just their thing, something they did with each other, and though everyone knew about it they respected it was their's. Once or twice Riko had caught Ruby and Hanamaru sharing parting kisses, and another time she'd caught Kanan and Mari but it didn't seem to be a very... first year appropriate kiss since it looked more like something from one of her yuri mangas, the way they were holding each other. She forced herself not to think on it too much, assuming that they were together in a more romantic way, and found herself wondering if maybe Chika's lips would feel good pressed tightly against her own.

It was around this time that Riko was starting to think she had a crush. You's kisses didn't send butterflies straight to her gut like Chika's did, nor did anyone else's smile make Riko flush like Chika's. Whenever their hands brushed gently Riko always wanted to reach out and hold her's, and when they did hold hands Riko never wanted to let go. It didn't seem to help that Chika insisted on being close to her, leaning on her or having their knees touch when they sat at the cafés. Everything Chika did made Riko's stomach do flips, and it was going to be a problem if she was going to be too nervous to even sing next to her.

Aqours was sitting in the club room together, discussing what they should do about their next live to improve their rankings. There were a lot of suggestions flying around, one prompting Yoshiko and Mari to help You with planning the outfits. While those three were working, Dia was discussing training and how to best distribute their lessons throughout the weak to not overwork themselves with the rest of the girls. This left Riko to work on her own music, deciding what kind of song she was going to create next. 

As the time ticked by, Riko wasn't really coming up with anything solid, just a lot of scattered ideas that could maybe fit together if she just adjusted a few things, but as a whole weren't anything special. It was a little frustrating.

"Riko, how are things coming?" Mari bounded over, leaning over her shoulder to look at her work.

"Mm, just alright. I can't really think of anything good since I don't have my piano so I'm just trying to sound it out in my head..." Riko answered, tapping her pencil on her notebook. 

"I see... Do you think it would be good if we got a piano in the club room then?" Mari asked, standing up.

"Eh? Not a full-sized one... There isn't enough room."

"What about a keyboard?" Chika piped up, catching their attention.

"A keyboard? It wouldn't be the same... But it would work," Riko answered, nodding.

"Then it's settled~ We can use club funds or I can get one for us. You're so smart Chika-chi~"

Mari danced over and ducked to give Chika a little kiss on the side of her head, earning a laugh from the younger girl. Somehow, watching that happen made something in Riko bubble to the surface, a sudden anger she wasn't aware of having. Quickly she turned back to her notebook, jotting down some notes on her page and trying not to think of the twisting in her gut. Mari was just playing around, surely she didn't know about Riko's feelings, surely she wasn't teasing her or being spiteful- Riko didn't realize that Mari's cheeks were being pinched and she was being scolded by Dia for "doing something like that behind Kanan's back" until she'd rationalized what she was feeling and calmed down.

So that was the day Riko discovered that yes, she had a crush on Chika, and the rest of Aqours discovered that Kanan and Mari had finally started dating.

* * *

 

4.

The fourth kiss, Riko couldn't help.

She'd accepted her feelings and admitted to herself that she was indeed in love with Chika, and every day was getting harder and harder to avoid. Their temporary summer jobs weren't helping much, since the two were suddenly constantly together and Riko rarely had time to herself to cool down from whatever cute thing Chika did during the day. Usually she'd go home and think about it until she'd calmed down, but now that she was working with Chika (specifically Chika in either a swimsuit or a cute sundress) and sharing the same room as her constantly, Riko never had a moment to herself.

Mari caught on instantly the first day they played together on the beach. Riko wasn't really subtle, it was more that Chika was oblivious and everyone else was mostly preoccupied and didn't pay too much attention to it. Still, it was assuring to Riko that the rest of Aqours was alright with the relationship between the third years, so she knew that they'd be alright and supportive of her crushing on another girl.

She just wasn't sure how they'd react to her crushing on Aqours' leader.

Mari was supportive though, they'd probably be the same, right? As long as it didn't jeopardize the group, right? 

It hurt to think about sometimes. When everyone else was asleep was the only time Riko had her thoughts to herself, but more often than not she found herself staring at Chika's sleeping face. The way the moonlight cast across her skin made her seem more pale, but made her smooth and somehow like a painting. Riko would often consider reaching out to touch her, just to see if she was even real.

Sometimes it scared Riko, how much she loved Chika. It seemed like something right out of a romance novel, superficial and fleeting, but the butterflies in her stomach when she gently brushed her hand across the other girl's cheek reaffirmed that her feelings were real. There was more than just Chika's looks that Riko liked, it was her unwavering positivity, and her drive to keep the rest of the group happy even when Chika herself was down. Riko loved how dedicated to Aqours Chika was, and how passionately she threw herself into anything the group did. Even when they were fighting to be recognized as a club, Riko admired Chika's courage to keep going forward when Riko knew she would have crumbled and quit. 

She loved that Chika was their pillar, their strength. Everyone brought something to the table but Riko found herself in awe of Chika most of all. Aqours wouldn't exist without her, and Riko couldn't help but fall in love with her when she was so amazing.

Riko flinched back when Chika rolled onto her back. Her lips were slightly parted, breath even and slow. No one else was awake.

Riko shifted up onto her knees, leaning forward until she was hovering over Chika. One hand held her hair back, the other bracing her so she could lean down and kiss Chika properly for once. 

It was awkward because of their angles, Riko being above her and turned upside down, basically, but she found it nice- Chika's lips were soft and sweet against her's, and Riko only wondered how much better it would be if they kissed when she was awake.

After letting her lips linger a while longer, Riko pulled back and scrambled back under her covers, hoping she hadn't woken the other girl up. Her face was flushed and her heart was pounding, the butterflies in full effect, but as she touched her lips and thought about that kiss, Riko couldn't help but want more. She wanted to kiss Chika like Mari kissed Kanan.

* * *

 

5.

On the last day of their training camp, two days after Riko had snuck her little midnight kiss, she confessed.

She and Chika had escaped early in the morning and ended up watching the sunrise together, Chika's words floating clear and strong over the waves. As she took Riko's hands in hers, gave her the softest smile Riko had ever seen and said, "I love you," Riko felt her heart melt inside her.

She tried to read Chika's expression, only finding love filling her eyes. It brought the butterflies back tenfold, making her squeeze Chika's hands and ask, "really?"

Chika nodded, allowing herself to be tugged forward so Riko could press their forgeads together. Chika threaded their fingers and closed her eyes, tilting her chin up just slightly. Riko didn't need any more of a hint.

Their lips pressed together, the angle awkward until they readjusted so their noses weren't smushed. Riko's cheeks burned at the thought of her first kiss going to Chika, the girl who'd reached out to her so powerfully, the girl who shined like a star and lit up her life. As awkward as it was, to Riko it was perfect. Chika's lips were soft ad sweet, just like when Riko had kissed her the first time but this was better, because Chika was moving with her and putting as much into it as she was, sharing and understanding her feelings and returning them. The sun finally rose over the horizon, bathing them in a brilliant golden light, and Riko finally broke the kiss to rest her forehead against Chika's again.

"I love you..." Chika repeated, eyes still closed and smiling. Riko squeezed her hands.

"I love you, too."


End file.
